HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS — Fifty-five minutes of Pat Riley unfiltered is the off-the-court equivalent of watching a Game 7 of The Finals go to triple overtime. You don’t want a miss a second of the action.

Riley’s message to them all was clear. But he might as well have FaceTimed LeBron or at least hit him on Skype when talked about the need to “stay the course” and not “run for the first open door.”

Wade and Bosh have already expressed publicly their desire to stay in Miami and continue a partnership that has produced four straight trips to The Finals and two title-winning campaigns. LeBron is the only one who has not hinted publicly about which way he is leaning.

Riley mentioned all of the great dynasties of the past and how many if not all of them failed more than they succeeded in their annual quests to win titles. He spoke of how hard the process can be and of the certain trials and tribulations that accompany the triumphs for those teams that stick together in their quest for Larry O’Brien trophies.

“This stuff is hard,” Riley said. “And you’ve got to stay together if you’ve got the guts. And you don’t find the first door and run out of it.”

That’s tougher love than most men in Riley’s position are comfortable using. But most of those men don’t have the experience, backrground or list of accomplishments Riley has. Riley vowed to do whatever it takes to keep his crew together. He pointed to the Spurs and their bond that carried them from a crushing defeat in The Finals last year to a rematch this year and vengeance.

Riley called for mass reinvention, at least for everyone under 69 (his age) and the improvement from within that marked the Spurs’ spectacular run through the regular season and postseason.

As much as Riley and his staff will be challenged with reinventing the roster to LeBron’s liking, Riley challenged LeBron to allow them to do the job and come back ready to forge a new identity for this team — rather than scrambling out the door for a different situation.

Riley compared the Heat’s Big 3 to the Hall-of-Fame core groups of the Magic Johnson/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar/James Worthy-led Showtime Lakers, the Shaquille O’Neal/Kobe Bryant-led Lakers, the Larry Bird/Kevin MacHale/Robert Parish-led Celtics, the Michael Jordan/Scottie Pippen-led Bulls and the Tim Duncan/Manu Ginobili/Tony Parker-led Spurs. He insisted the Heat will do whatever it takes to keep their group together.

“However we can keep those guys together,” Riley said, “we’re ready for it. Whatever it takes. That’s our objective. That’s my push to them. All of those guys stayed together and in their worst moments, they allowed management to retool and bring this back together. It doesnt happen often. So let’s bring it back to gether and keep going.”

The four years with James, he said, is just the beginning of what the Heat had in mind. They have every intention of turning that into “eight to 10 years.”

But they need a buy-in from LeBron. And that’s where Riley has to hope his tough-love message resonates with James. Riley knows the face of his franchise, and the league for that matter, relishes a challenge. Riley needs LeBron to internalize this Finals loss the way Duncan did with the Spurs last year. He needs LeBron to be the catalyst for the reinvention he spoke of so often during the nearly hour-long news conference.

In lieu of formal presentations to his own potential free agents, Riley said he’ll opt for a more obvious approach.

“I’m not dropping championship rings on the table for those guys,” he said. “They can drop their own.”

Riley professed his love for all of them, for their contributions and the drive it takes to reach The Finals in four consecutive seasons and the need for a little space right now. He opted for email messages instead of face-to-face meetings after The Finals defeat to the Spurs.

But he cautioned everyone on this “end of the Big 3” narrative that rose out of The Finals.

“Everybody needs to get a grip,” was his opening line. He also cautioned against the Heat pursuing Carmelo Anthony subplot that gained steam during The Finals, suggesting that it was the same kind of “pipe dream” assembling the Big 3 was back in 2010 … before it actually happened, of course.

As for the Wade-as-a-sixth-man discussion, Riley said that the topic has not been brought up and that he’d need boxing gloves to entertain it with Wade in the same room.

Later he used the South Florida storm weather as a weapon, comparing the tumultuous but temporary threat of a nasty storm to what the Heat must ride out between now and the start of free agency on July 1.

“The storm is going to pass,” he said. “Anybody who lives in Miami knows that storms and rain showers pass and then there could be sunshine. There are broken pieces on the ground and we’ll leave ’em there and walk around them for 10 days. And then we’ll pick ’em up and hope there is no breakage.”

Riley and the Heat have to hope and pray that there has been no breakage in the bond between the franchise and LeBron, if they plan on reinventing themselves in the manner Riley spoke of.

92 Comments

Bosh should leave, period. He’s a power forward with no power. He’s no Kevin Love when it comes to threes. He couldn’t step up when James and Wade need help. He’s only an All-Star because he’s in the East. Enough charity and let him go!

If a team loses between 5 and 7 points, it’s coaching technique. However, a 20 or more loss, is on the players. I think Chalmers needs to go, he does not play with a sense of urgency. UD Haslem may need to as well. I am not taking away from their contribution, but if it’s a business, then the business needs to go in a different direction. Shane B. P
Possibly too. Now, the Spurs, just gave them a good old fashion education in this is why we play as a team. No 1 man can beat a team like the Spurs. Furthermore, Leonard was phenomenal. However, with the right personnel, the HEAT should not have lost to the Spurs.

Well we all know history but first Lebron should man up an realize that you have leave on the floor this series needed a game seven to pull everybody into Greatness Lebron study the film mike/magic/bird all lived for the rivalry that made them Great.He should stay come next year.BETTER.

People are so focused on the Big 3. Wade’s aging and Bosh isn’t clutch. Well guess what, this also fits the profile for Parker and Ginobili respectively…and they’re both MUCH OLDER. Then you have the main superstar Duncan at age 38 compared to Heat’s main superstar LeBron at age 29, and yet the Heat still got outplayed by the Spurs. Could this possibly because they got OUT-COACHED BY TWO VERY DIFFERENT LEVELS OF COACHES?? Many of Pops plays out of time would be executed quite well – the same cannot be said for Erik Spoelstra. Pops made adjustments by bringing in Diaw to give more perimeter pressure. Spoelstra was stubborn and simply got out-coached in every way possible by Pops. Factor in Chalmer’s subpar play (who has always, in my opinion, been HUGELY overrated), and there goes your championship dreams. Instead of focusing on the players, get rid of Spoelstra and get a better ball-handller (though rumours of Steve Blake heading to South Beach, but would much rather prefer Eric Bledsoe or even Greivis Vasquez) and their fortune will change quite quickly. Possibly bring in Thibodeau or George Karl, both of which are defense-oriented coaches. The dynasty will then truly begin.

All the heat need to do to win another championship next year is to trade James, Wade, Bosh, Chalmers, Allen, Andersen, Haslem, Cole and Beasley for Duncan, Parker, Ginobilli, Leonard, Splitter, Mills, Green, Diaw and Bellinelli.

I see what Pat Riley is trying to do with the comparisons to dynesty teams of the past, but it just doesn’t add up the way he would like it to. The Miami Heat put the pressure on themselves by adding Bosh, LBJ and some of the roleplayers they did through this run. At least most of the teams he compares too never pulled of stunts like that to be winners.

If the retooling he is talking about is gonna add Melo to the mix, he may pull of another couple of rings for the franchise – but at the same time he will put even more pressure on it to win more. And he will sit at a press conference some 3 years from now after a beating and trying to convince us to get a grip again.

If the big three is to continue, I think it is unfair that LBJ will get the same salary as Wade and Bosh given what he brings to the team. He’s also the most consistent among the three health wise. Wade should embrace the role of being the sixth man. Let’s face it, his knees will not get any better. Being the sixth man can prolong his career. Hey, if Ginobbli can be successful on that role, why can’t he?

Not sure anyone can beat the Spurs this next year — but if they win it again, it will almost certainly be their last. So would be wise for Heat to stay together: All they really need is Pau Gasol, an upgrade at point guard (Jordan Farmar? Steve Blake?), and one young, long-distance shooting swing-man off the bench, and I think they’re back losing to the Spurs again in the finals next year, but after that — with two years to find a younger replacement for Gasol and Wade — they could become precisely what Riles says they can. With Embiid now not likely going to Cleveland, and last year’s #1 pick not very good, I don’t see LeBron going there. So where else would he be a “missing piece” to a championship team? Clippers? Golden State (already filled with good shooters)? And how many top teams can even afford him? Nope. He stays in Miami, and they do just what Riles says they will. They just won’t win every year. Who does more than twice in a row anymore, anyway?

No matter big 3 or not, players need to work hard to win the championship, Front office needs to build a effective team. You can not rely on LBJ do better and better to get the championship again and again. Spur beat Heat is because their hard work and team work . There is nobody take free ride to the Championship. How about Miami, who can match up Spur’s benches is the question yet. No body can make score let LBJ play solo how does that works. GM need to give an answer not just talk. Look at the last season at Heat and Spur, you already know the Spur did good job building a team.

Of course, Pat Riley, Bosh, Wade all like to stay Miami, they like to keep LBJ there forever for sure. LBJ makes Miami Heat and all the other heat player better. Wade can get a free ride for another three rings to match M.J. to be a better player than M.J.if he take the 7th ring base on M.J. more rings is better player.
Look at Miami, they paid a lot but they don’t have the big three anymore. They need better point guard, they need bog-man center, they need 3 points shooter, they need Wade healthy, they need Bosh consistent. How the Miami come back??
the retool????? How ??? get rid all of those incapable players including wade and Bosh?
Miami has big challenge.

Wait a minute…Does Pat Riley take a pay cut if the big three do? He tries to make it sounds like moral if the big 3 stays and take a pay cut, while he, himself walks away at the end of the day with a big smile on his face and a pad on the back for being a “great GM” who can convince anybody to do anything for him. If Lbj stays, Pat Riley will have to take a pay cut as well as the big 3. Of all nba players, wade and bosh have to give up their max pay is ridiculous. That’s selfish of lbj and Riley. Lbj makes alot of money of endorsements anywway. Or, just find another way to win a title without giving up the max pay. There are too many teams in the league that can take him there. The point is to win, and it doesn’t matter what team he wins the title with.

If you are a Lebron James fan, you want him to leave Miami to chase that championship ring. If you are a Heat fan, you want him to stay and hang in there, while Pat Riley and Co. figures out what the heck they are gonna do. Lebron James is having a baby girl-can the guy spend some quality time with his family? Can we just be patient and wait until the end of this month for his big decision? I’ll tell you what, whatever he does or wherever he plays, he is still King Lebron James. How do you like them apples?

The days of Lebron James in Miami are over. It is that simple. He needs to get out of the Heat if he wants to forge a “legacy” truly with a team for the future. The Heat are aging, plague with injuries and do not have the core set of players to see LBJ thrive in for the next 5 years. Let’s face it, LBJ only has around another 5 years before he gets older and is over his prime. He only has two Championships, winning another 4 straight to cement his legacy as one of the best players to have ever played the game is going to be a big challenge and it is not going to take place in Miami.

The Heat have lost the drive, energy and talent as we clearly saw in the recent Finals. LBJ needs to either go to the Bulls, Knicks or back home to Cleveland where the hunger is ripe and talent pool is plenty.

I think LBJ will “go home” and prove that IT IS HIM that will be the catalyst for success.

for lebron to stay with the Heat and wade and bosh have to take a pay cut is selfish. for him to split the pay cut with wade and bosh (something he would never do) is rediculous for a player in his prime to do. Even so, will they be able to beat a team like the Spurs? maybe OKC will be all healthy next year too.

LBJ needs to leave Miami. The era of so-called “BIG THREE” is over. There was never ever a BIG-THREE. There was always Super BIG ONE and this is LBJ. With all due respect for Wade and Bosh they both were overrated. This Finals demonstrated that. LBJ aims to be the GOAT, This dream never come true if he decides to stay in Miami. All my wishes go with LBJ to be the GOAT but with another team. It is not fair to put all the burden on LBJ shoulder and to blame him for the loss of a championship.

man ppl always go over board now smh its only one team in the NBA better that the heat, the spurs…they’er ONLY one team away from being champs again, and if Tim retire or they lose a couple players they might just downgrade next year. and the heat will be the fav. again…and i don’t even like the heat, its just the truth..yall act like the lost in the 1st round to the wizards or something..sheesh

LBJ should go back to his former team man. Far from salary cap for next year, a lot of young talents (Irving, Waiters, maybe Benett some day) and a first round pick… Man this is the place to be if Lebron wants to build up a team young enough for the rest of his career!

Miami? Already above the salary cap only with Bosh Wade and James, many players gone for next year, an aging DWade who I like a lot but may be on for his last couple of years…

D-Wade has been my favorite player since 2003, however it’s hard for me to say this but he isn’t as good as he use to be! Him and Chris Bosh need to take huge pay-cuts so Miami can stock up and have a better chance to win. Just Chris Bosh contract alone can pay for Tim Duncan and Tony Parker contract and they are the Spurs top two players (paid the most). That is the key as to why they got a deeper team than Miami this year and won the finals.

He isn’t fit in the Heat picture. Anthony’s ego is on a different level. Only way to put him in Miami uniform if he capable to understand the conception … He’s great player, but atm he is not the best choice for the Heat I guess … and J.R. not gonna happy either 😀

With Derrick Rose breaking down the defense and handling the rock most of the game, just imagine how much more effective James would be (Chalmers could never do this for him). Rose, Butler, James, Gibson, Noah and Thibs. Wow… they would beast the entire league for the next 4 years.

LeBron doesn’t bow down to anyone and I think Pat Riley doesn’t really understand these players today. It’s all about winning as much as you can now because tomorrow isn’t promised. The Bulls actually have a strong core with fresher legs coming into next season and we all know Derrick Rose’s knees are in way better condition than Wades. I wonder if LeBron will claim that roster spot before Melo or Love can. Just a thought.

Pat Riley has always been an opportunist. He lucked into the :big 3,” but now he has to face several realities. Eric Spoelstra is not qualified to coach in the NBA. He overused Lebron and “designed “a stand around offense that was defeasable by any team that plays good team defense. Dwayne Wade has lost his hops as demonstrated by his repeated failures to finish at the rim against the Spurs. Chris Bosh is the most overrated player in the NBA. He’s soft, lazy and completely inconsistent with an extremely big ego and a very low basketball IQ. Mario Chalmers is overrated by his very presence in the NBA. He is a D-league player at best, Lebron by contrast has a very high basketball IQ. He knows that he cannot continue to bring the ball up and lead the fast break from the middle. Unless he can team up with a quality point guard who can penetrate, create off the dribble and distribute the ball he will have a much shorter career, The Heat bench really showed its age in the finals. Ray Allen was a complete liability on defense, Shane Battier was like the old man who hangs around the schoolyard and hacks every kid who breaks for the basket whether he has the ball or not, Udonis Halsem has a one inch vertical leap and is quick enough to defend the 4 or big and strong enough to defend the 5. Bottom line unless Lebron loses his mind, which is highly unlikely, he’ll decamp for Cleveland or the Celtics where he can win championships without carrying the team and the coach.

Lol what? People need to stop undermining Spo and Bosh. Bosh does some of the little things so well (hedging on PnR, Ice, nice above average defense) He has a nice mid range shot and has added a 3 point shot to his game. If anything, Coach Spo doesn’t use him right.

you are bang on with you comments ellery g….my sentiments exactly, except for going to boston (bad move). and to add….Miami needs to follow their shot and get some guys in the paint for offensive rebounds. bosh being one of the tallest players on the team can barley get 5 boards a game.. really.. not acceptable! another result of horrible coaching. end result is that Miami has some ballers but don’t play good ball! they need to watch the film of the spurs play, no standing around!

Of course they want to play in Miami with LeBron. Look at the stats for the past 8 years. How many times has the top seed in the East or the League has been a team with LeBron on it? Naturally, you will be successful just by playing with him, but are you able to make him better? That’s what they should be asking.

Apparently, most people have forgotten or did not know how the Spurs (not a big 2, 3 or 4) won. They won with a TEAM effort (not 6 or 7 but all 12 or 13). Teams will always win. Bottom line, if a franchise relies on a big 3 or whatever, in all likelihood (if their opponent is a TEAM), in the truest sense of the word, the TEAM will win. I hope that coaches, GM’s, Presidents realize this fact, It is actually BBALL 101 not rocket science.

Is it just me, or does Pat Riley seem a little nervous that this is the end of the big 3? Pat Riley is trying to downplay the heat losing in the finals, but the truth is that it was a BIG DEAL because of HOW they lost, not because they lost. Getting BLOWNOUT 3 games in a row and making history for the worst loss in finals history is a bigger deal than Pat Riley is making it seem.

Wade’s health going forward is also a BIG deal, he missed 1/3 of the season last year…what will next year be like? Wade is supposed to be the #2 option, but at this point in his career he needs to be a 6th man off the bench, like Ginobli. That is why Wade NEEDS to take a paycut!!!

Bosh has disappeared more times than I can count, he is NOT reliable, he is NOT the 20/10 Bosh from Toronto that we all saw 4 years ago. Bosh is overall a good player, but he is not a good fit on this team, I would rather trade Bosh for a SOLID Center, and a SOLID Point Guard. That is why Bosh also needs to take a paycut. The Only way the Heat should keep Bosh is if he takes a paycut, if he doesn’t want to then I wont be sad to see him go, he wont be missed much.

Also, the Heat are really, really, OLD! They need some young blood that can run the floor and create their own shots to take that pressure off the ‘Big 3’. Pat Riley knows this and he also knows that with all the free agents the Heat have, a lot of them will not be back. So to bring in an almost brand new ‘retooled’ team will take time to build chemistry, I’m not sure if LeBron wants to wait.

LeBron sees all of these factors, and I think its 50/50 that he stays in Miami, depending on what Pat Riley can do with the future roster.

Pat riley is a smart man, and what he’s basically saying is “were not going to win every year, but if we stay together atleast we have a good chance”.

LeBron is going to the celtics, I already spoke to him on the phone this morning and told him that with the right choices and pieces together, we can play along side. I told our general manager that he could try and trade our #6 pick to the wolves and try to acquire Kevin Love. Our team is going to be unstoppable this next season, I also spoke to Kevin Garnet and Paul pierce about this deal and they said it wasn’t so bad, they are thinking on resigning with our old team again. Hell even Ray Allen who i don’t like very well spoke to me on the phone 10 minutes ago with a friendly voice after I told him all of this. Ray Ray, LeBron, me, Kevin, Pierce, and Love will all be playing alongside together! I truly cannot wait for the season to start 🙂

The HEAT needs a center who is willing to put rebounding and defending the basket as their main job.Wade is turning the ball over TOO much, and is not attacking the rim. That SCRAMBLING DEFENSE needs to change, because after about 10-15 seconds someone always is not defending someone. That is why the San Antonio ALWAYS ended up with an open shot or a layup. The coach should be able to see these things also. Thank you fo a good season, 4 Division Championships, and 2 NBA titles is VERY GOOD.

Sorry fans, I very sorry with the progress I made in the finals and I promise you all that I will work harder and try to contend for another championship. Right now I’m going to take a vacation, then I will think about what time I may join. I may stay with the heat but I’m looking at other options.

Stay course and not to run to the first open door??? Seriously? Your main man King James was exactually a runner, when he cant win in cleveland, he ran to you, remember? You were the one convince him to run and now dont run????? You got him off running very well………Magic, Bird, Isaiah, Jordan, Duncun, Kobe….etc…they stay with the same team even losing….nthey are winner because they run off other team to try to find easy win. They compete to the end. So Mr Riley……lebron is a runner and you sir too…..

together my teammate, soul mate, lbj and I will win 4 more championships easily! It’s too bad that MJ didn’t team up with Magic, that’s his lost. But i’m going to beat Kobe and MJ with my championship. Heck, I even have more rings than LBJ himself! But i don’t mind sharing that with my love, so I’d say my rings are the same as his.

As far as James opting out, please tell me where he will find ownership and a executive office with a stronger commitment to winning a championship. There is none. Big job in front of the Heat this off season to restructure this team. They have gotten accustomed to winning in Miami and have to learn to deal with the adversity of losing. It’s very much a part of the game. Perhaps the most difficult part. James is right to take some time to put things in perspective. How he handles “this decision” and the next couple weeks (team leadership) will likely be a huge part of his legacy in the NBA.

first thing u need to do Pat, is come down off your high chair and either coach the team yourself or get a new coach…stop pretending u think coach Spo is a good coach for this team, much less a head coach for any NBA team…he was your project and you luckily (thanks to raw skills of the big 3) won some rings with him at helm but with a good coach (and yes a center and point guard) the dynasty could truly be unstoppable!! recite all the history u want, but it’s a new day and Bron deserves to be the high paid athlete EVER in sports and if not then put the right pieces around him to win the rings he deserves…u already know it’s not just the money with him.

This couldn’t be a more ignorant post…Spo is WITH OUT QUESTION the 3rd best coach in the league behind Pop and Doc and it’s not even close. You think it’s easy to get these superstars to all buy in and put their egos aside to completely retool their games as part of a CHAMPIONSHIP culture? Spo is a basketball genius and their defensive mastery the last few years alone proves that. School is out son.

HHAHHA YOU THINK SPO IS THE 3RD BEST COACH, HAHAHAHHA , ARE U FREAKING KIDDING ME? I CAN GIVE HIM CREDIT BECAUSE OF THE DEFENSE AREA, BUT OFFENSE! THEY HAVE NO DEFINED OFFENSE LIKE SPURS! THEY MAKE THEIR OWN PLAYS BECAUSE THEY ARE SUPERSTARS! HAHAHAH IM ALWAYS TELLING THIS EXAMPLE:“JUST PUT A GUY JUST LIKE POPOVICH IN SOUTH BEACH, AND MIAMI WILL WIN LIKE 20 RINGS IN A ROW, BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEM POPOVICH HAS, AND THE SUPERSTARS MIAMI HAS! SPO DOESN`T COACH NO OFFENSE!

I agreed with you up until “high paid athlete ever” other that, spo is just another phil Jackson riding coattails pretending to be all so intelligent. put spo as coach with per say.. the bobcats.. how good will he be then?

The only way LBJ should even consider staying is if Wade and Bosh take major paycuts. The way Wade sits out regular season games and disappears in the biggest games of the playoffs, he should only get paid $8mil tops. I really like Wade as a player but he’s done. And Bosh is still ok but it’s really sad to see how Spo has turned him into a guy that stands out on the perimeter and just shoots 3s. I wish Bosh played more like Kevin Love. K-love also shoots 3s but he also gets down low and bangs bodies to be one of the leaders in rebounding. So Bosh should get around $10-12 mil tops. Give LBJ $18-20 mil and get some better role players. If not, then return to the Cavs. And I mean that from a serious basketball perspective, not from a storyline perspective. Cavs should trade Waiters, Thompson, Bennett and 2015 1st round pick in a sign and trade kind of thing to give Miami something back because I know LBJ won’t leave Miami without giving them something in return. Just gotta work the contracts out there. Honestly I would take a team of Irving, LBJ, and Embiid over a team of older Wade, Bosh, and Melo.

Typical Riley stay the course, he caused Magic 2 more rings against Boston 84, not utilizing his 6’9 body to post up smaller guards to force KC Jones to make a move, against Houston speed had got us there but yet elected to use a slow Mitch Kupcheck and Ramis on Akeem, Sampson. Offensive coaching, forcing the other coach to disrupt what he wants to do has never been a strength of his and it looks like Spo is a chip off of the ole block. How different t may have been if he changed his line up game 3 and insertted Ray Allen then but 3 games later? Who knows an inury to the Spurs may have changed things as it was then they finally won a quarter in game 5. Getting to the finals isn’t a given and when u get there u dont stay the course u do whatever it takes to win a game even if it means changing your line up to win. Run Lebron or spend some money and get a new head coach

Clearly that team would have been better if you had been the coach right?. Lebron going anywhere is very unlikely he’s 30 and no other team can offer a win now more than Miami, who the only guy under contract next season is Cole and this year is packed with unrestricted free agents.

Spurs will repeat.
Anyone that doesn’t think they aren’t the favorites are fools.
Depending on how Heat “re-tool” or not – they should be favorites to come out of the East.
Nobody can stop the Spurs when they play their basketball.

No reason why Spurs can’t repeat – why do people think otherwise? They’ve been saying we’re too old for years!
Spurs just keep winning games. Doesn’t matter – the more people count us out – the more focused they will be for next year – so go ahead you Spurs Haters!

yeah.. unlikely.. ’cause on the issue of consistency, the spurs CONSISTENTLY demolished the heat. one may be an accident but three straight? yeah, the AC in game one you say. so the heat aren’t a team ’cause they can only win if lebron is on the floor. we didn’t see the spurs slipping much when all of their “big 3” are sitting. yes, the miami lebron is sooo unstoppable like in games 3, 4 and 5.. o-kay